Sean Penn was one of the big stars at the opening gala of the 17th Lumière Film Festival in Lyon, France. The 65-year-old Hollywood actor, screenwriter, writer, director, and producer was seen again with his girlfriend, model Valeria Nicov, 30.
Penn, known for keeping his private life out of the media spotlight, walked the red carpet in an elegant black suit paired with a black round-neck T-shirt, while Valeria opted for a long, flowing navy satin dress with puffed sleeves and a plunging neckline, along with black ballet flats and a metallic clutch.
She wore her hair loose, straight, and parted in the middle, falling down her back with an air of natural glamour. Her makeup, elegant and luminous, highlighted her radiant skin with a touch of rosy blush, soft mauve lips, and eyes defined with neutral brown shadows, bold lashes, and subtle cat-eye eyeliner that enhanced her features.
However, it wasn't their looks that caught the attention of fans, it was the attitude displayed by the star of Mystic River and Dead Man Walking towards his partner.
Sean Penn walked before the cameras with a particularly serious expression and showed no complicity with his girlfriend. In fact, many fans noticed that he didn't even seem to want to shake her hand, as his fingers were completely extended, as can be seen in the images.
Throughout the gala, the couple was seen with very distant towards each other. They appeared quite cold, barely exchanging glances or affectionate gestures. He seemed uncomfortable and serious, as if he had a lack of interest in the event.
His attitude was especially surprising, considering that in their previous public appearances, the two had appeared much closer and more intimate.
This is the third time Sean and Valeria have posed together at a public event. We previously saw them at the premiere of Bono: Stories of Surrender at the Cannes Film Festival last May and at the Marrakech International Film Festival, which took place on November 30, 2024.
The actor has regained his spirit three years after separating from his third and final wife, Leila George, a marriage that lasted just 15 months. Sean went public with his relationship with Valeria just a few months after sharing that he was "excited" to be single and that he just wanted the kind of romance that would allow him to be "free".
“If I’m going to be in a relationship, I’m still going to be free, or I’m not going to be in it, and I’m not going to be hurting. I don’t sense I’ll have my heart broken by romance again,” the actor told The New York Times.
Throughout his life, Sean Penn has had some of Hollywood's most high-profile relationships. His first marriage was to Madonna, from 1985 to 1989, a union as passionate as it was turbulent that ended in divorce after several scandals. Years later, the actor rebuilt his life with Robin Wright, with whom he had a relationship for over a decade and had two children, Dylan and Hopper. However, they were also unable to overcome their differences and separated in 2010.
Penn has also had romances with other well-known women, such as actress Charlize Theron, with whom he was with for less than two years, and Olga Korotyayeva, with whom he was photographed in July 2023.